Vinyl Cutter + Retroreflective?

@Team_Creative_Arts,

I have some retroreflective vinyl that I would like to cut using the vinyl cutter. Other than possibly dulling the blade I cannot find any other caveats.

I have questions…

  • Can I try it? (Bear in mind that if anything bad happens I will do whatever is necessary to get the vinyl cutter back in business.)

  • I have read that a 60 degree blade should be used. Do we have such a blade?

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Sure, give it a try and let us know the outcome. I changed the blade about 2 months ago, they last for quite some time typically.

If we see any cutting issues afterwards, i believe we have 2 more blades.

As for what degree they are, I have no idea

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I’ve cut reflective on a different machine in the past. My recollection is that it takes a considerably higher force setting, but actually worked quite well.

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I doubt that we have any 60° blades. I skimmed through a couple of articles, and that definitely seems to be the recommended angle. Blades are relatively inexpensive. It might be best to buy a couple 60° blades to avoid wasting time and vinyl due to the incorrect blades. I’d go through eBay or Amazon, since they tend to get good ratings at a better price. :slight_smile:

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Have you looked into Clean Cut blades? I have been using a 60° blade from him for a couple years now on (90%) Oracal 651 and can swear by the quality and durability.

http://www.cleancutblade.com/

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The results…

  • I used these blades…
    https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B01FFJ0JN8

  • They are not correctly labeled. The 60° blades do not have blue covers. Carefully eyeball the blade before installing.

  • Changing the blade was fairly easy. (Check the user’s guide.)

  • There is a TEST button on the printer. The printer cuts a triangle surrounded by a rectangle. Using that made adjusting the pressure / speed go quickly.

  • Most of the material worked very well. One material was simply too thick. However, the blade did score it nicely making it easy to cut with scissors.

  • The blade that was in the machine when I arrived appeared to have the very tip of the blade chipped off so I put a brand new 45° blade in the machine. If the new blade does not work well I’m the one to blame.

  • A big THANK YOU to everyone above!

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Thanks for the feedback, hints & tips, and leaving the machine better than you found it by putting a new 45° blade in it to replace the damaged one that you found in it. I’m glad to hear that overall cutting the material was a success! :slight_smile:

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The end result (it is difficult to tell from the image but it is very reflective)…

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Example with flash and with a flashlight.
Backstory is I grew up in Iowa and we had to tell jokes for Halloween so I make the kids tell jokes and I have a little plastic jack-o-lantern with emergency jokes if they come unprepared. Makes Halloween a whole lot of fun. I’m going to put the signs either in our front yard or on a stop sign at the end of our street.

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What a neat idea!!! :jack_o_lantern:

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